Converged Services+

Converged Services is excited to announce a new partnership with Waste Consultants, a company that helps reduce and manage waste disposal and recycling expenses. We formed this partnership with the intent to provide ancillary services to our clients that continue to save money for their associations and communities.

As resident demand for a smart technology community increases, developers, apartment owners and home builders must make the right investment for their properties. Just like many products and services in the market, not all smart technology is created equal.

In today's rental market, Millennials (80+ million strong) are the largest pool of renters. Gen-Z is not far behind as a fast-growing portion of the market. These generational groups prefer to rent rather than buy a home for multiple reasons. One of the most prominent reasons tends to be the amenity-rich offering of an apartment, such as common spaces and pools, on-site concierge, and typically located within an urban community. Trends and studies show that one of the most important amenities is technology. Millennials and Gen-Z will consider technology as one of their main decision-making factors when choosing a community.

In today’s market, there is a mixed perception of bulk broadband services. Some Owners and Developers want no affiliation with the video and Internet selections that their residents make. Some Owners believe in providing choice options of different providers for residents to choose from. These two schools of thought were very popular in recent years past. However, the market’s perception of bulk is changing based on segment. Markets including student housing and senior housing are somewhat predisposed to bulk services. While markets such as market rate and affordable housing are beginning to see the value. What’s true of all segments of the market is that Owners, Developers, Managers, and residents are curious about the Internet of Things (IoT) and connectivity.

If you are involved in Real Estate or Technology Planning for your community, it’s likely that you’ve heard the buzz-terms "Smart Apartments, "Internet of Things (IoT)," "Smart Home Automation," and more. These terms have grown in popularity as more and more residents choose "smart amenities" over traditional ones. Smart amenities range from services such as keyless entry through mobile applications to auto-adjust thermostats and lighting. As this technology evolution continues to grow, how can you be sure that your community is sustainable and not susceptible to these trends?

At the beginning of the year, we discussed the Net Neutrality repeal and what it means for our clients. At the time of our discussion, with the ban being so recent, we were not sure the direction major ISPs would go. A major concern was that bandwidth consumers (you and me) of the nation's largest ISPs would lose or have limited access to content provided via Internet (including streaming services, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime).

If you are a building owner, be it residential or commercial, your rooftop is a revenue opportunity. Wireless service providers seek the location and space to provide service. 

With the school year ending, Virtual TV providers received their report cards. A Virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributor, or Virtual TV provider for short, offers a broad range of premium video content over the Internet, just like any cable or video service provider, but do not have to own network infrastructure.

Preparing for hurricane season brings a laundry list of to-do items to ensure you and your family are safe before, during and after the storm. Often times, we remember to fill our gas tanks and stock up on water, non-perishable food and generators; however, especially in our mobile, on-the-go world, we forget to have an alternative plan to watch TV.

Typically, as a property manager, residents only contact you when they need something. However, a vital responsibility of the property manager is to ensure residents are provided proper information any time of day on all aspects of the property, from scheduled board meetings and maintenance to violations and past due rent. Having a reliable and useful mobile communication system is crucial for daily operations, especially during emergencies to save lives.